August 8 Post-Storm Update

Saskatoon was under a severe thunderstorm warning on Tuesday afternoon. A heavy rainfall warning quickly followed just after 1:20 p.m. The rain system was the most intense in east-central neighbourhoods, knocking out power in Avalon, Nutana, Adelaide/Churchill and Holliston. These areas experienced localized intensity from the storm system, washing out a number of roads. Although intense for the areas with the heaviest rainfall, this storm is considered to be between a one in two year, and one in five year event.

“This is the second time in less than a month that we have been hit with a system so intense that our storm sewer system simply can’t keep up – the systems in older neighbourhoods are not designed to take on so much water within a very short period of time,” said Galen Heinrichs, Water and Sewer Engineering Manager, Transportation and Utilities. “City rain gauges measured accumulations ranging from 25 mm in the southeast around Avalon and Churchill to between 1 mm and 3 mm in areas of the northwest.”

City crews were kept busy closing roads where water wasn’t receding, clearing grates, ensuring manhole covers were in place and cleaning up debris. Outdoor swimming pools closed and Saskatoon Transit routes were affected due to the heavy rain. The storm also forced the closure of PotashCorp Playland, the landfill and the compost depot at 11th Street West and Highway 7. The City has also received calls about some downed trees and branches due to wind gusts during the storm.

The Saskatoon Police Service and Saskatoon Fire Department were also kept busy responding to storm related calls.